ABC's of Family Life
by FruitCat
Summary: Continuation of 'Addictions.' Kagome and Sesshoumaru learn their ABC's with the help of Baby Takara.
1. A is for Absorbent

The late nights? Easy. The spontaneous vomit? He could deal. But the one thing Sesshoumaru could not stand was the smell of a spent diaper.

He could feel the bile rising to his throat, his eyes watered at the intensity of the odor.

"Oh suck it up! I do this _all day _while you're working! You can stand to change _one _lousy diaper!" Kagome scolded, trying to get the table ready.

Bracing himself, he picked up the small bundle of smell, the pup he named Takara.

Her face was scrunched up, and she was letting out a wail so high pitched, he thought his ears were going to bleed. And then he felt it. It was wet, it stank, and it came from the bottom of his tiny stink bomb. _'Oh Kami no!'_

"Damn it! Those were supposed to be the absorbent ones!"


	2. B is for Baiting

Takara stared up at the shiny dangling in front of her face. She stretched her arm up and reached, reached, reached….

Gone.

And the shiny was replaced by her uncle's laughing face. The pup gave a small growl. She did not like being teased….

Kagome was just entering the room when she heard it; a high pitched scream followed by a loud string of curses. Muttering under her breath, she whacked Inuyasha on the back of the head with a newspaper, and picked Takara up. She glared at Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha! How many times do I have to you? Do not bait my daughter like that!" She began to coo to the little pup, turning her back to Inuyasha to find Takara's blanket.

Inuyasha rubbed his head, and watched, amazed and irritated, at the twinkle in Takara's eyes.

'_Shit….She really is Sesshoumaru's daughter!'_

He growled lowly.

'_I have the feeling I'm the one being baited here…'_


	3. C is for Cake

"Alright Inu, what else is on the list?" Kagome pushed her cart up the aisle, glancing between the shelves and her best friend.

"Looks like we still need…Wrapping paper, some stuffed animals, a new blanket, and a cake." Inuyasha said, checking off the other items.

"But I thought Sesshoumaru was making the cake." Kagome wore a confused expression, which forced a laugh out of Inuyasha.

"Yeah, but knowing him, he's destroyed the kitchen and the cake, so we should be prepared." They both laughed, and continued on their journey.

It wasn't until they arrived back home that they realized that Inuyasha was right.

Flour, eggs, and sugar all littered the floor and countertops. Kagome looked more closely, and realized that some even got on the ceiling. And then there was her mate.

Golden eyes narrowed, his clothes were splattered with batter, and his once pristine white hair was now tinted pink from the frosting that, while supposed to go on the cake, was now smeared across his face and hands.

He bared his fangs at the duo, who were now laughing.

"Sesshou," Kagome gasped, "what happened?"

He snorted, and replied,

"The cake was possessed." The two looked at him blankly.

"Possessed? By what?"

He growled once more.

"By the mind of a deranged authoress!"


	4. D is for Dynamics

At first, he had thought the puppy to be troublesome, but he tolerated his mate's 'Akina' because he refused to deal with her tears. But now, looking at the scene before him, he learned of the dog's usefulness.

Inuyasha(baka hanyou that he is) decided it was a good idea to tease little Takara. When she began to cry, Sesshoumaru was ready to step in. However, a noise stopped him.

With a small growl, his wife's small pup (though not so small now) charged at Inuyasha, knocked him down, and repeatedly jumped on and nipped at the hanyou(because even Akina knew that full-fledged biting was wrong).

Takara's cries were stopped, and laughter followed. Sesshoumaru was pleasantly surprised that when his daughter let out a small growl, Akina immediately came to her side.

He smirked.

It appeared that the dog knew her pack dynamics.


	5. E is for Echo

**He could hear the laughs and giggles from his room. They echoed down the hall, and he anticipated his 'surprise'. Last time his mate and pup decided to surprise him, the kitchen looked like a war zone(not all that different than when he tried to bake a cake.) **

"**Oh **_**Sesshoumaru**_**!"**

"_**Daddeh**_**!"**

**They sang. Two heads poked into his room, one ebony, one ivory. His mate stood, carrying a covered tray, while Takara, who was still learning to walk, wobbled next to her. They both smiled as Kagome brought the tray to his bed.**

"**We thought you might like some breakfast in bed." Kagome said, laying the tray across his lap.**

"**Bekist'm'bed." Takara lisped, trying to repeat what her mother had said.**

**Sesshoumaru gave a small smile as he uncovered his 'bekist.'**

**A single eyebrow rose.**

**Kagome giggled. "Takara thought the eggs should be pink."**

**He looked down. Pink eggs mixed with chunks of ham, three slices of bacon, and an 'I love you daddy' card next to his plate.**

**Smiling, he set the tray aside, scooped his daughter up, grabbed his mate, and made a pile on the bed.**

**Sometimes, echoes were a good thing.**


	6. F is for Fragile

He was one of the most powerful men in Japan. He had money and fame. He had a physical power so great, he once ruled the Western lands. He had a father who made a sword of life. He had a brother on his side with a huge-as-hell sword. He had power over poison. He had a powerful miko for a mate. He had all this power.

And yet, when Takara became sick, there wasn't a damn thing he could do.

He had the access to the finest doctors and the best medicine. But none of it could tell him why his daughter was suddenly weak, why she could hardly eat.

Why, one day, when this mysterious illness was at its worse, she reverted to her human form.

Never had he felt so helpless. He felt that his daughter was dieing and he couldn't do anything.

Kagome wasn't much better.

_She was a damn miko, for crying out loud!_

And yet, when she needed it the most, her power failed her, because Takara was not human, and she refused to use her powers if there was a possibility that she would harm her child.

They were both frantic, searching far and wide for some reason as to why their daughter was suddenly fading away. They had almost lost all hope. Almost.

Because out of the blue, she became better. She had started eating, she became stronger, she became half-demon once more. Her eyes were brighter, she began to speak, and even started to protest being confined to her bed.

Whatever had happened, Takara was ok.

And with that, they took a tentative step forward.


	7. G is for Glacier

_**When he walks into his office, everyone stops. They stare and wait for whatever it is he might say, because they know that it's important. He's the coldest man in all of Japan. Except for the picture framed on his desk.**_

_**The wood is light, nearly a white color. There are two pictures within the frame; one is slightly discolored and wrinkled, the other is pristine and perfect.**_

_**The first shows a man and a woman. She is smiling so brightly your heart melts. He…He looks bored, or he would, if his eyes didn't shine with obvious adoration of the woman at his side.**_

_**The second shows the same man and woman, though slightly older. The woman looks tired, her hair plastered to her forehead. She's obviously in a hospital. This time, they're both smiling. In their arms is a small pup with slow white hair and small pointy ears at the top of its head.**_

_**Yes, he's the coldest man in all of Japan.**_

_**But Sesshoumaru never carries that glacier attitude into his home.**_


	8. H is for Halloween

'_This is a bad idea,' _Sesshoumaru thought as he watched his pack prepare for Halloween. His little mate had bought three pumpkins, decorations, and a ridiculous bag of candy. She had fretted around the house, putting things in their place, with a laughing toddler and excited dog in tow.

'She's growing up,' he thought to himself. Little Takara was nearly a year and a half; half walking, half stumbling, and talking up a storm. Her pure white hair was now resting on her shoulders, and light pink stripes were beginning to show on her skin.

"Daddeh! Lookit my pumkin!" Takara cried. He turned, and stopped. The pumpkin itself didn't look too bad. Two eyes, a strange row of teeth, a nose. The norm. No, the real surprise was Takara herself.

Globs of pumpkin stuff(seriously, what was that slop really called? Seeds and pumpkin juice? ugh) littered the ground. It was spread on her legs and arms, globs sticking her face and hair.

"Daddeh like?" She was smiling proudly at her first pumpkin. Rolling his eyes at the mess, Sesshoumaru smirked and picked the giggling pup up. Mindless of the slop clinging to the girl like some kind of pumpkin-y glue, he cuddled his child close to his body. Her laughs vibrated against his chest, and he felt a sort of nostalgic feeling wash over him.

"Yes, daddy likes. You did a very good job." He nuzzled her nose, before he heard a small laugh behind him.

"Enjoying yourselves?" Kagome laughed at the sight. She had been trying for years to get her mate to carve a pumpkin("It's too dirty. I'm too busy. This Sesshoumaru does not gut fruits.") and though he still hadn't carved one, seeing the inside pumpkin goop stick to him was good enough.

Her mate smirked, and she got nervous at the little glint in his eyes. Faster than she could see, he grabbed her hand, and went to the ground, taking both her and their pup with him. They ended up all falling into the mess, getting seeds and pumpkin all over.

As he heard their laughter, and a pumpkin throwing war commenced, he couldn't help but think,

'_Maybe this wasn't so bad.'_


	9. I is for Ink

The first time it happened, they were in hysterics. One month later, the second time, they were distraught. The third time it happened, they became suspicious. Takara's 'sickness' had a very specific time table.

"Sesshoumaru," Kagome spoke, watching as her only child became steadily weaker, "I think we should talk to Inuyasha. He's inu-hanyou as well. He might know of what's happening."

And indeed, the hanyou did know.

"Must be her human night."

And while he could not explain why she became so weak,(even regular human pups were stronger than this one) he knew someone who could.

"Go find a Doc named Shiori. She's a bat hanyou, who specializes in hanyou problems."

So they searched the doctor out. And finally got some answers.

"Normally, a hanyou will just suffer the loss of their senses on their human nights. Your daughter, however, is a rarity. She is the child of both an inu-youkai, and a human miko. As such, her body has more difficulty adjusting to the change. As a hanyou, she mostly uses demon jyaki, though she has miko reiki to help balance her. When she goes through her change, the jyaki is almost completely destroyed within her body by the rising levels of reiki. This leaves her extremely weak."

The parents didn't know whether to be happy or terrified.

"Will she be like this her whole life?" Kagome asked, stroking her daughter's inky black locks.

Shiori smiled. "No. Eventually her body will become accustomed to the change, and it will cease to affect her as much."

Extremely relieved, Kagome allowed tears to flow down her cheeks. She felt the heat of her mate at her back, and she knew that everything was going to be ok.


	10. J is for Jigsaw

It had taken all of his willpower not to simply melt the damn thing.

Little Takara had decided that she wanted to make a jigsaw puzzle. However, when he went to the play room to check on her, all he found was a big mess. So, at his precious daughter's insistence, he helped pick up the pieces, and proceeded to help her complete her puzzle.

Frowning, Sesshoumaru shifted in his chair. Was this seat always so uncomfortable, or was it simply the frustration of not being able to find _one damn piece_, that was making him so irritable?

A few minutes into the puzzle, Takara abandoned it in favor of chasing Akina. That left her father, cursing to the makers of puzzles in general and his daughter's short attention span.

He growled. There was definitely something wrong with the chair. And he still couldn't find that _one_ piece!

"Sesshoumaru? What's wrong?" His mate's worried voice rang into the room. Sesshoumaru had stood up, the tips of his fingers moist in preparation of his poison.

Kagome began to walk over until she saw the empty space in the puzzle. She looked around the floor, wanting to find the piece and get some special time with her mate. _Speaking of which…._

Sesshoumaru sighed when he felt his mate's eyes on him, or rather, his backside. As much as he wanted to indulge her, he had to complete this puzzle! It was now mocking him, taunting him with it's one missing piece and--

Suddenly, Kagome started laughing. And not just a giggle, or a little haha, not even a normal laugh. No, she was in a _rofl _or an _lmao_ moment. She came to stand right behind him, her hand feeling on his ass. Just as he was about to question his still laughing mate, he felt something being pulled from the fabric of his pants.

A light giggle still coating her words, she held up the last piece for his inspection.

"Is this the piece you're looking for?"


	11. K is for theKitten King

Ugh. Cats. If there was one thing in the world that Sesshoumaru could not stand more than the sound of a vacuum cleaner, it was cats. Big cats, small cats; feral, house; pure or mixed. He absolutely **hated **cats.

And now they were neighbors.

The damn panther youkai had been there a total of three days, and already had Sesshoumaru sharpening his claws. If it had been a single youkai, or even a young couple, he would have been able to repress his need to chase the damnable felines into the trees.

But no. They were a mated couple with child. A young boy who declared himself King Kitty, and his daughter, his beautiful, inu-hanyou daughter, as his Queen.

Kagome thought it adorable, and was thrilled that her daughter had found a friend. The neighborhood they lived in didn't have many children, and the few that were there were either snotty or unable to keep Takara's attention.

The boy's name was Leiko, and he had monopolized Takara's attention.

A low growl began in Sesshoumaru's throat as he saw his precious child follow the mangy cat, Akina in tow. 'Damn traitor.' Another growl started. A soft hand on his chest stilled it.

"She's been very lonely lately, you know. What, with you working on your newest project, and me getting things ready for her to start preschool. Even Inuyasha's been busy. She needs more friends than just Akina, my mate. She needs to socialize, someone to talk to. You wouldn't want to scare her best friend away, would you?"

She had a teasing tone, but it was underlined with seriousness. He sighed, reaching over the counter and picking up a plate.

"Then I shall allow you to greet the neighbors."

With that, he handed her the plate of sugar-free cookies and continued to glare at the world.


	12. L is for Life

**Life, Sesshoumaru decided, sucked.**

**First he had arrived to work late because he had to help his mate and child get ready for Takara's first day of school. Then he had to skip lunch to make up the lost time. After that, his day continued with a coffee stain on his favorite shirt, incompetent employees, a computer crash or two, and a blistering headache from the day's activities.**

**The day became worse when he realized that his mate was not home, leaving their daughter with Inuyasha, of all people. A fight and a few snarky words later, Sesshoumaru lay on his bed, eyes closed, trying to lessen the horrible pounding in his head. A noise at the door alerted him to his mate's presence, and upon turning his head to look at her, saw her devious smile.**

**After a romp between the sheets(and the wall and the floor and shower too), Sesshoumaru couldn't help but smirk.**

**Life, Sesshoumaru decided, was good.**


	13. M is for Monster

"**Mooommmmyyyy!" Takara screamed down the hall, running to her parents' room.**

**Kagome, clad in her favorite soft blue robe, opened the door to their room and peered out. She narrowly missed falling over, the impact of Takara's little body making her sway.**

"**What is it, sweetie?" She cooed softly, kneeling down and snuggling her daughter close. She stood, lightly bouncing Takara while simultaneously smoothing back her pearly white hair.**

"**There's a m-monster under my bed!" The little girl sniveled, rubbing at her eyes as the tears continued to roll down.**

"**What's going on?" A cold voice at her neck forced Kagome to turn and smile softly.**

"**Well Sesshou, it seems that a monster has decided to stake its claim under Takara's bed." She said softly, nuzzling the top of Takara's head.**

**Takara looked to the imposing figure of her father, and, with wide eyes, watched as he stalked his way to her room. Both Kagome and Takara listened, as growls and snarls rang out from the room. A few seconds later, Sesshoumaru emerged, looking quite smug. He patiently waited for Kagome's help to transfer the little body into his arms, and he carried his first born back to her room.**

"**I don't believe the monster will be bothering you anymore." With a soft pat and kiss on the head, Sesshoumaru tucked his daughter in.**

**As she watched her father leave the room, Takara felt a sense of relief fill her body. As long as her father was there, she would be forever safe from the monsters lingering in the shadows.**


	14. N is for No!

"No!"

Sesshoumaru's eyebrow twitched.

"Nooo!"

Takara had watched the neighbor cat, Leiko, interact with his parents.

"No no no!"

They were trying to bring him home.

"No!"

Eventually they became tired of his screaming, and let him be.

"No! Nonononono-"

The glass he was holding suddenly shattered, sending shards of glass into his palm as water fell to the ground.

Takara looked at her father, giggled, and returned to her 'no' chorus.


	15. O is for Ocean

**Have you ever seen the sun set on an ocean? There's almost nothing more beautiful than seeing the different hues of red, orange, pink, and purple, being reflected in nearly crystal clear water. **

**Kagome sat in knee length water, letting the waves push her up the sand, and drag her back down. She was laughing as Takara splashed at their dog. She eventually grabbed the giggling toddler, bringing her close to her chest as they both smiled in exhaustion of the day's activities.**

**It was Kagome's idea, to take a little vacation at the beach. They had stayed the entire day. They all turned a light shade of pink, and had picnicked a little further up the beach.**

**Kagome, with Takara in her arms and Akina jumping near her legs, waded to Sesshoumaru, who stood watching their excitement. With a sweet kiss to her loving mate, Kagome proceeded to dry and clothe Takara, before putting her in her seat. The toddler began to doze off before the car had even been started.**

**The drive home was quiet, everyone being exhausted. Both Takara and Kagome had fallen into a light sleep, while Sesshoumaru drive. The light smile on Kagome's face brought joy into Sesshoumaru's heart.**

**All in all, Sesshoumaru thought, the day went well.**


	16. P is for Parade

Before Kagome, he had little reason to attend the yearly parade. The noise was loud, the sights blinding, and the swarms of children and adolescents scrambling in the streets for candy, like starving dogs after a meat truck, simply annoyed him.

And yet, when he arrived with his pack, his own little child in tow, everything was seen in a new perspective. The noise was now drowned out by the sounds of laughter. He felt the enjoyment that the dancers and fellow parade-ers could bring. And he couldn't help but become involved when Takara tried to get some candy.

Life took on a new meaning, now that he had a pack.


	17. Q is for Questions

The day had been going so well, too.

Everything at the company was running smoothly. His brother had finally found a stable job. And the best news of all; Kagome was expecting her second child.

Sesshoumaru had been ecstatic, in his own strange way. He and Kagome had rejoiced. Takara, however, had become quiet.

She hadn't spoken much all day, seeming to become more and more frustrated as the day wore on. When he had finally confronted his daughter, he had been shocked into silence;

"Daddy, where do babies come from?"

"…………"

The day had been going so well, too…


	18. R is for Reality

While in their home, she could pretend. Pretend that their life was perfect. Pretend that no one cared that a demon and a miko had done the forbidden. Pretend that no one would hurt her baby for being what she was. Pretend. Pretend. Pretend.

But when she leaves the safe haven of home, and into the real world, reality bitch-slaps her so hard in the face it makes her head spin.

She couldn't always ignore the scathing looks youkai would give her, when they sensed her mark, or the sneers humans would show when they saw her hanyou daughter.

Sometimes those looks made her sick. They made her want to run home with her baby and hide under the covers, to protect her from the world.

But when she feels the comfort of her mate, she knows she made the right choice. The glares and sneers and thinly veiled insults could not penetrate the protective barrier of her mate's love. Forget what the world thought.

The world could fuck itself.


	19. S is for Storms

**Something that both Kagome and Sesshoumaru shared was their love of storms.**

**For Kagome, she loved the sound of rain hitting the roof, the windows, the walls, the pavement. The show of lightning illuminating the inky black night left her breathless.**

**For Sesshoumaru, he loved power. And there was nothing more powerful (except for when his little mate decided to use her powers) than the force behind thunder and lightning.**

**He could feel the electricity in the air, brushing against his skin and setting every nerve on edge. The currents rushed through his body, bringing every sense to attention.**

**Their love of storms had passed to the next generation. Takara sat, wrapped in a blanket and her mother's arms, entranced by the magical dance that occurred in the sky.**

**There was nothing that could ruin this perfect moment.**


	20. T is for Two

_**Two new, blue painted bedrooms. **_

_**Two new cribs. **_

_**Two new changing tables. **_

_**Two new baby books. **_

_**Kagome continued to read off her checklist.**_

_**Two new bottles.**_

_**Two new bibs.**_

_**She looks down at her slightly extended tummy. She rubs it, smiling. Picking up the new picture frame, she inserts the first image of life in her womb.**_

_**Two.**_


	21. U is for Unemployed

**He had become tired of the steel walls and close surroundings and the smell of too-strong coffee. The sneers, glares, and lust filled stares annoyed him to no end. And when one of his incompetent employees lost one of his most important files, he decided it was time to quit.**

**He no longer worked at a billion dollar company. No longer would he work early mornings and long nights. No longer would he have to deal with the fools day to endless, gut wrenching day.**

**No longer would he work at a job he hated. Now, he would do what he wanted.**

**He had always loved architecture. He enjoyed studying the many homes his family had owned, and took up many drafting classes during his middle and high school years.**

**The day he decided to obtain the schooling to become his dream, he promised himself, he would build his own home. One with the room to house all the children he wanted, while being more warm. The house he owned currently was just that; a house. And while his mate and child had filled it with life and laughter, it still felt cold.**

**This house would be their home. Personally, just for them. **

**Sesshoumaru smirked as he looked at his new degree.**

**Perfect.**


	22. V is for Vacancy

Looking around the empty home, Kagome smiled sadly. Good memories, bad memories, and some ridiculous memories.

Nostalgia crept its way into her thoughts as she packed up the last of the boxes. Tears threatened to fall, and when the movers retrieved the last box, Kagome's heart threatened to break.

But when she walked outside and _across the street _to her new, dream home, she smiled.

Takara was rolling in the grass with Akina and Leiko, laughing and giggling when her father threatened to chase her across the yard.

Life goes on, she thought.

The sound of the lock was drowned by the sound of a new beginning.


	23. W is for Water

**The day was perfect; Inuyasha had volunteered to take Takara and her canine sidekick to a drive-thru movie. Kagome was currently relaxing in a lounge chair, waiting on her doting mate to bring her more lemonade.**

**A hand rested on her extended tummy. A few kicks bumped against her hand, and through the pain Kagome smiled. Her sons were certainly active today.**

"**Are they becoming restless again?" Sesshoumaru looked worriedly at his mate. The twins had been more antsy that usual, and with it being so close to her due date, he was justifiably worried. **

"**I think they just want some attention." She laughed as, once again, a soft kick was sent to the side wall of her womb.**

"**Hn." He made the small noise, settling in the chair next to hers. The patio still smelt of fresh paint and lemon scented window cleaner.**

"**The house is gorgeous, Sesshoumaru. Absolutely perfect." There was room for them, Takara, the twins, three additional rooms for any more children they had, and a few guest rooms. The land itself was fairly large by Japanese standards, so a big house was to be expected.**

**Another kick. This one was more violent. Kagome let out a soft groan. A rush of liquid brought about another moan.**

"**Sesshoumaru, I think they're ready."**


	24. X is for Xylopyrography

**Two light blue colored cribs, with names scorched into them.**

**Akihiko, a boy with the bone structure and physical features of his father, save for the moon and one stripe on his cheeks.**

**Misaki, a more delicate boy with the onyx hair and bright blue eyes of his mother, also adorning one stripe on his cheeks.**

**Their beautiful twin boys, ensconced in their cribs with their older sister peering into each one.**


	25. Y is for Yelling

Yelling. Everywhere in that house, there was yelling.

Sesshoumaru and Kagome yelling about how towels folded _(because when you're such a devoted couple, you need something to argue about)._

Takara yelling about not wanting to go to school.

Akina howling with her.

The twin pups yelling because….well because they were pups and that's just what they do.

Every corner of the house vibrated with their yelling.

_Ahh…Home._


	26. Z is for Zoning Out End

He was complete.

It was a shock, really. Most of the time, he was simply tolerable with life. When he mated with Kagome, he became pleased, sure that he had everything he needed.

Now, as he sat on the couch, with his mate next to him, Takara drawing on the floor, and Akihiko and Misaki nestled comfortably in their arms, he felt a sense of accomplishment.

He, at an early age, desired a family. With a father that wasn't their, a drunken mother, an inattentive step-mother, and a brother who was a few IQ points short of the line, a nice, stable family had been his secret dream.

It was here, in his homemade house, surrounded by his pack, and Sesshoumaru became complete.


End file.
